3. Chapter One

Chapter One

W ho knew there was such a thing as hard rock Christmas music? Not Landry Dorsson. But there it was, booming through the club’s speakers. It even reached Landry’s tattoo parlor, although most music did but someone had cranked it up when AC/DC started singing “Mistress for Christmas”. While the lead singer’s voice didn’t get Landry in the Christmas spirit, at least it wasn’t metal.

Was there such a thing as metal Christmas music?

Landry flipped to a new page in his drawing journal and started sketching this so-called mistress. Because why the hell not? He’d make her bad-ass. The lead singer might want her for Christmas, but she was nobody’s plaything. If anyone tried to make her one, she would cut out their heart with the giant blade she held. He would write death bringer on the blade.

The music changed after only a couple of lines from the song. That was probably Daruss’s doing. Some songs were a no go because of their lyrical content.

Landry stopped paying attention to the music as his character took shape. He sat at his writing table with his feet on the rung of the stool and gave her an oval head and then a triangle body. Those shapes would eventually turn into his mistress when he added more detail.

She might be good enough to make the wall of art. When he finished, he had the perfect place for her.

The studio was way more space than he needed, but it was all his. Landry was lucky to have it.

Daruss was the one who had given him the space. It was his way of making up for Landry’s shitty life before becoming a Dragon Skull. Not that it was Daruss’s responsibility, but he took on a lot of shit that didn’t belong to him.

Landry’s tattoo space was more of an art studio, but it had all the supplies he needed for whatever type of art he felt like creating. There was even an easel in the corner, although he hadn’t had the urge to paint in quite a while.

No one bothered him unless they had a death wish. At least, that was usually the case with strangers. The family could enter his space whenever they wanted.

Landry smiled at his bad-ass lady. Next, he’d put her in a leather suit. No short skirt and sexy cleavage-showing blouse for her. Her suit would be functional, designed with hidden pockets to house all her tools of death. And she’d know how to use them.

He drew a thought bubble above her head. It read Merry Christmas, Mother Fucker. Her gaze would go to the body at her feet, only he hadn’t drawn that yet. But once he did, no one would mess with her ever again.

He was done with the outline sketch and ready to add details to her face when Raylee and Jude knocked on the wall. By then the song had changed to something a little more pop-ish, which every Dragon Skull probably hated except for a few of the boys. Landry liked the lighter stuff, too. A song that wasn’t about sex was a nice change.

Landry waved them inside without stopping what he was doing.

“Wow. No one fucks with her,” Jude mumbled.

Raylee pointed to Landry’s version of the Christmas Mistress. “Hey, can you paint a mural of her? Skippy could build something to put her on, so we didn’t have Christmas at the club all year long. Like a fake wall or something.”

It sounded as though they were planning a Christmas party. If that was the case and Landry got a vote, he would veto the idea. Way too much togetherness for his liking. Even if it was the Dragon Skull family hanging out and exchanging gifts, which was something they hadn’t ever done before. At least they had never planned it in any sort of deliberate way. They showed up at the club and got shitfaced together, Landry included. It was the one day of the year he actually drank anything and hung out in the main room with everyone.

Landry raised his eyebrows. “Does Daruss know your plans?”

“Not yet.” Jude’s smile turned wicked.

Landry rolled his eyes and shrugged. “Doubt he’ll let you have a party here, anyway.”

Raylee sighed. “Can you or not?”

“Yes. But Daruss won’t allow it.” That was the only reason he agreed.

Raylee narrowed his eyes and held out his hand. “Bet. If I win, you have to help with the decorations.”

“And you have to actually come to the party. Christmas Eve. And no one is getting drunk this year.” Jude smirked.

“It isn’t a party without Ronin’s hooch.” At least it wasn’t one most of the Dragon Skulls wanted to attend.

Since Daruss and some of the other guys coupled and throupled up, Landry had noticed a shift within the family. They were all quieting down as if domesticity in a few made them all want to party less. The volatility of the group had lessened. Everyone seemed to notice the change. Some liked it. Some didn’t. No one spoke up either way. But it was only a matter of time before someone said something. The jury was still out on whether speaking up would start a fight or not.

The other day, Avit had come into the club. He’d been away for a month, making sure one of the other motorcycle clubs they had dismantled stayed that way. As soon as he’d walked in the door, he said, “Well, kumbaya, motherfuckers.” In three words, Avit summed up the vibe in the club.

Landry liked the lack of fighting. He’d never liked violence, especially within the family. Not that it happened a lot. Daruss had a pretty good handle on everyone, all things considered. But up to a few months ago, fights broke out often enough for the sheriff to be called every couple of weeks. It had now been six months since his last visit.

Landry flipped the page on his sketch pad and started drawing a campfire. He’d put all the domesticated Dragon Skulls around it.

“I’m asking him right now.” And with that, Raylee marched out of the room. “Come on, Landry. Watch him say yes to me.”

Jude followed him out. “This is gonna be hot.”

Landry had no intention of leaving his studio, but with Jude’s statement he left his sketch journal and pencils on his table and hurried after them. “You can’t use sex, man. That’s not fair.”

Jude chuckled. “Too late. You had your chance to add rules.”

Daruss sat on the couch, sipping dragonshine, and listening to Izzy. He laughed at something Izzy said. He was relaxed, which didn’t bode well for Landry’s chances of winning.

Raylee walked up to him and took the drink from his hand before pulling off his shirt. He took his pants off next. As soon as Landry saw his red thongs, he knew he’d lost.

“Fuck.”

Jude cackled.

Raylee straddled Daruss’s lap and took each of Daruss’s hands, placing them on his ass.

Of course, Raylee delighted Daruss, to say the very least. No doubt he felt a lot of other things too.

Landry turned toward the bar. He still paid attention to Daruss and Raylee’s conversation on the off-chance Daruss would say no, which he wouldn’t. Landry already knew.

“My boy wants something.”

“A Christmas party. On Christmas Eve. Here in the club.”

“What about your family party, baby?”

“I’ll talk to my dad. See if he would combine families. It’s too much to go to so many places in one day, when all I want to do is to be with you.” Nice touch with that last remark. And it wasn’t Raylee trying to manipulate Daruss. The manipulation had started when Raylee climbed onto Daruss’s lap while he was almost naked. Based on Raylee’s tone, he meant every word he said.

“I want to be with you too, boy.”

“So you’ll let Jude, Landry, and me have a Christmas party?”

Landry shook his head. Great. Now they’d included him in the party’s creation too. How the hell had that happened?

“I sure will.”

Landry sighed. He turned toward Casper, grabbing his attention. Casper kept bottles of soda just for Landry. A lot of times, the flavor was a surprise. Landry liked a variety. Landry thanked him with a nod and then leaned against the bar, watching the room.

Someone slid onto the stool next to him. Landry had never seen the person before, which didn’t mean anything. Landry stuck to the backroom most of the time. The sign above the hall leading to his studio read: Members Only . That was the only deterrent he needed.

The club had a lower head count than usual. Everyone stayed home during the holidays. They were at half their usual capacity for a Thursday night. The guy could have sat anywhere..

“Hello handsome.” He wasn’t bad-looking, but the second he smiled, Landry’s chest tightened.

Don’t touch me. Don’t touch me. Don’t touch me. The mantra worked until the stranger put a hand on his arm and then nodded to the back wall where all the fucking usually happened. Shadows hid most of it, so Landry didn’t have to see it, not that he minded viewing it. It didn’t bother him. Not the way getting hit on did.

“What do you say?”

“No.”

“Don’t be like that, honey. Come to the corner with me.”

Landry held the guy’s head to the bar before he’d even registered his body moving. Instinct and training kicked in as if it were second nature. He held the guy by the back of the neck.

The guy’s face was red, and spit dribbled from his mouth as he tried to breathe. His nose smushed against the top of the bar, cutting off his air. “Easy, man. Easy.”

Landry recognized the cologne the man wore from before being rescued. It was expensive. Hundreds of dollars for a bottle. Landry knew because rich men liked to tell him how much they paid for things, including how much they had paid for him.

“Did you hear me say no to you?” When Landry didn’t get an answer fast enough, he asked again. “Fucking answer me.”

“Y-yes. Yes. I-I heard. I heard.”

“Good.” Landry let the guy go. He grabbed his soda and headed to his studio.

Daruss was in front of him in seconds, blocking his way.

Landry averted his gaze. He’d lost control, and they both knew it. It hadn’t happened in a long time. He thought he had the shitshow that was his emotions under control, but he very much didn’t if what had just happened was any sign.

Daruss reached out to touch him, but Landry already knew he couldn’t handle it. “Don’t. Please.”

It felt as though bugs crawled underneath his skin and he’d rolled around in shit to get rid of them. As if one touch from that strange man made him dirty. What was worse was the way his cologne clung to Landry. Landry knew from experience he wouldn’t be able to get rid of it. It would always be there. Forever tainting him.

He thought he’d gotten rid of as much of the residue from his past as possible. He’d washed himself clean by becoming a Dragon Skull.

Landry didn’t even know he was shaking until Daruss spoke. “You’re okay, son. You’re safe.”

Landry stepped closer, wanting Daruss’s cinnamon scent to override the nasty cologne. He breathed in and then stepped closer still.

Daruss didn’t hug him back. He knew Landry wouldn’t have been able to take it. But he spoke soothing words as Landry wrapped his arms around Daruss.

“You’re not the same boy you were back then.”

“I’m the same.”

“You took care of it, Landry.”

He had. That much was true.

“I’m gonna go back to my studio.” Landry pulled away and then moved around Daruss.

“Landry.”

He stopped, but didn’t turn.

“Do you need to talk about it?” Daruss might have formed it as a question but it was a statement. He thought Landry needed to see his therapist. It had been a long time since he’d had a session with her.

“I don’t know.” If he felt himself spiraling—if he couldn’t get the stench off his skin—he’d make an appointment.

“Decide or I’ll decide for you.”

Landry nodded and went back to his sanctuary.

There was no kumbaya for him. He’d never have what Daruss and the other domesticated dragons had. He wasn’t capable.

Raylee ran up behind him. Landry knew it was Raylee because he had a certain way of running, with shorter strides and with his feet turned out ever so slightly as though he’d been a ballerina in former life. Hell, for all Landry knew, Raylee might have studied dance in his current life. Landry didn’t know that much about Raylee. But he could almost see Raylee as a child with his long skinny legs and big brown eyes, twirling around with a group of kids.

Landry stopped and faced Raylee.

“I’m so sorry.” The apology took Landry by surprise.

“Why? You didn’t do anything.”

“For dragging you into the main room with all the paying customers. I know you don’t like…well, people. I shouldn’t have made the bet with you.”

Landry shrugged. “Not your fault.”

“He’ll listen the first time when someone turns him down, I bet. You scared the crap out of him.”

“Probably needed the lesson.” Some of the other members had a similar past to Landry. Some of them weren’t as capable as laying a person flat the way Landry was. They needed protection, and if Landry had just stopped an asshole from taking advantage of them, then he guessed what happened wasn’t all that much of a bad thing. “Thanks, Raylee.”

Raylee seemed confused, but he smiled. “Can I hug you? You look like you need one.”

Landry could handle a hug from Raylee. Of anyone Landry had ever met, Raylee was one of the kindest people. He was also the most unassuming person. Calm. Gentle. The exact opposite of his two mates.

“Sure.” Landry returned the hug as soon as Raylee put his arms around him.

“Whatever happened to you isn’t happening anymore. That’s the first thing you have to realize,” Raylee whispered.

Landry let out a shaky breath and willed the emotion gathering in his chest from spilling out. He cleared his throat. “What’s the second?”

“Work on the first thing. Once you’re not stuck in the past anymore, I’ll tell you what the second is.” Raylee smiled when he ended the hug.

“You don’t know, do you?” Landry returned his smile. That he could smile at all surprised him.

Raylee chuckled, which came out as more of a giggle. “Not a clue. But I’ll find out for you, and we’ll tackle it together.”

Landry nodded. “You didn’t win the bet yet.”

Raylee blinked and then his expression turned to one of determination. “I did too.”

“Don’t you have to convince your dad, too?”

“Yes.” Raylee seemed to deflate. “He thinks all the Dragon Skulls are criminals.”

Landry lifted his eyebrows. He wasn’t even a little surprised that someone who raised Raylee would peg the Dragon Skulls right. “We are.”

“Ugh. I know. And I have no leverage.”

“You mean your pretty face won’t sway him?” As cute as Raylee was, that was difficult to believe.

“Not since I was six and wanted one of those toy car things you can ride and drive around.”

“Did he buy you one?”

“Yep. For my birthday. It was pink.”

Landry chuckled. “There you go. Channel all that cuteness and then go in for the kill.”

“Yeah, that won’t work.”

“I almost want to be there when you fail.”

Raylee pushed him on the shoulder in an indignant way. “I will not fail.”

“You just said you would.” Landry hoped he would. He didn’t want to celebrate Christmas with a big party. That was way too much peopling, and if Raylee invited his family to the club, there would be strangers. The Dragon Skulls would have to be on their best behavior, which would be impossible.

They saw how well Landry interacted with people he didn’t know. Not well at all. How would he react to Raylee’s family?